Home Remedies to Kill English Ivy in the Yard

English ivy attaches itself to walls, making removal difficult.

English ivy (Hedera helix) grows as a ground cover and climbing plant, planted for its shiny green leaves and trailing vines. In some areas it is considered a nuisance or invasive, and once established it is hard to remove. The good news is that although it may take several attempts, there are ways to get rid of it.

Manual Removal

The most effective way to remove ivy is to pull it up by hand. The coarse hairs that grow from its underside anchor it to the soil in which it grows as well as to trees and fences and anything else it comes across. You will need to pull it up one vine at a time, ensuring you remove all the pieces as they might otherwise resprout. For ivy that has climbed trees, hack it down at the base of the tree all the way around. Eventually it will die and be much easier to pull down from the tree.

Mulching

Mulch is good for more than preserving moisture in the soil. It can also be used to suppress unwanted plants in the yard, such as ivy. To effectively smother ivy, apply a several-inch-thick layer of wood chips, grass clippings or hay over the area. If you are worried about sprouting plants, do not use hay or grass as they might carry seed. This technique usually only works for small infestations that have not gone vertical.

Grazing

If you have a pet goat or know someone who does, you may take the relatively low-effort approach of grazing. Goats and sheep will both eat English ivy leaves, and as they are more nimble than people and can fit in smaller spaces, are capable or rooting out ivy infestations that might otherwise lie in wait. Be aware that they mostly eat leaves, which will regrow, but repeated grazing sessions will eventually take care of the problem.

Chemical Control

If necessary, you can use chemicals such as triclopyr and glyphosate to remove ivy. There are several methods available. You can apply the premixed formulas to the leaves -- a technique that works better in the summer to fall growing period than in winter. Or, for plants growing in trees, you can remove the leaves or cut the stems in a band around the tree and apply herbicide there. Avoid getting weedkiller on the tree.